Any feedback / reviews of base radio?

[Prodbb]

Hi all. I was curious if anyone had had a chance to hear the radio in the base mach e. I'm confident the b&o radio will be solid, but I'm considering the California route 1 edition. It comes with a standard six speaker radio. My assumption is it's pretty ordinary, but some base units are better than others. If you've had a chance to try it out, I'd be curious to hear reactions. Also, if anyone has sat in and seen the seats in the route 1, I would enjoy hearing that info as well.

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[ChasingCoral]

Hi all. I was curious if anyone had had a chance to hear the radio in the base mach e. I'm confident the b&o radio will be solid, but I'm considering the California route 1 edition. It comes with a standard six speaker radio. My assumption is it's pretty ordinary, but some base units are better than others. If you've had a chance to try it out, I'd be curious to hear reactions. Also, if anyone has sat in and seen the seats in the route 1, I would enjoy hearing that info as well.

The driver's seat in all Mach Es should be the same. It's just the passenger seat is manual in the Select/Ca Route 1.

 

[supertramp]

Hi all. I was curious if anyone had had a chance to hear the radio in the base mach e. I'm confident the b&o radio will be solid, but I'm considering the California route 1 edition. It comes with a standard six speaker radio. My assumption is it's pretty ordinary, but some base units are better than others. If you've had a chance to try it out, I'd be curious to hear reactions. Also, if anyone has sat in and seen the seats in the route 1, I would enjoy hearing that info as well.

If you mean XM Radio, then yes, B&O should probably have a better sound than a regular 6-speaker system (though I read in one of the reviews that they were unimpressed with B&O in Mach E). But if you are talking about FM (and even more for AM frequency) radio, then the sound quality will be much more dependent on what kind of antenna Mach E has - B&O or standard system won't make much difference - they should be pretty close for radio. My Civic produces really decent sound when playing CDs or when connected to IPhone. But the antenna is so terrible that most of the stations are giving noise half of the time (my Honda Pilot doesn't have that problem - looks like antenna is fine and so is the sound from the radio). Nevertheless, even with a good antenna, FM and especially AM radio is nowhere near in sound quality to CDs, IPhone or XM radio.

 

[JamieGeek]

If you mean XM Radio, then yes, B&O should probably have a better sound than a regular 6-speaker system (though I read in one of the reviews that they were unimpressed with B&O in Mach E). But if you are talking about FM (and even more for AM frequency) radio, then the sound quality will be much more dependent on what kind of antenna Mach E has - B&O or standard system won't make much difference - they should be pretty close for radio. My Civic produces really decent sound when playing CDs or when connected to IPhone. But the antenna is so terrible that most of the stations are giving noise half of the time (my Honda Pilot doesn't have that problem - looks like antenna is fine and so is the sound from the radio). Nevertheless, even with a good antenna, FM and especially AM radio is nowhere near in sound quality to CDs, IPhone or XM radio.

Since its a Ford it uses the Sirius system, not XM (don't think they've switched yet...).

On top of that since it has a cellular modem and SXM 360L it will likely stream radio most of the time instead of using the satellite (which is a good thing, higher bit rate streaming and thus better quality).

He means how will the "normal" stereo sound over the B&O system: Select and CA Rt1 do NOT have the B&O system--regardless of input source.

I can post something once my CA Rt1 arrives but since I mostly listen to podcasts and not music or radio I don't think my opinion on audio will mean much (and when I'm not listening to podcasts the radio is usually off...).

 

[GreenEV]

I only read one review from someone on here that went to one of the tours. He said the CA Rt1 sounded quite good. I think it will be fine, unless you want super bass in your music. I can tell you that I have a 2020 Ford Escape hybrid Titanium, with the B&O 10 speaker system. It has bass but not that clear. The basic sound system in my Honda Clarity with 8 speakers and no subwoofer is better, cleaner, with plenty of bass for my taste, and the daughter likes to listen to hip hop streamed from her iPhone.

 

[agoldman]

(though I read in one of the reviews that they were unimpressed with B&O in Mach E).

ouch. has anyone had anything good to say about the B&O that has actually heard it? I didn't hear any comments about it on the many video reviews posted. I wish the new F150 "unleashed" system was available in the mach e. Even the regular Mustangs offer higher wattage B&O systems.

 

[DBC]

ouch. has anyone had anything good to say about the B&O that has actually heard it?

I played with it for a few minutes and thought it sounded good. Didn't blow me away but didn't draw attention as being sub-standard.

But the MME was sitting in a showroom with the doors open, so very hard to judge. Showroom good; doors open bad. Personally I find the quality of the sound system in any vehicle to be highly dependent on the noise during the drive. Since the sound system is competing with the other noise in the vehicle, you can get a better sound system by reducing your speed from 75 MPG to 70 MPH. This cuts out some of the wind and road noise, making everything clearer. Luckily for young people this doesn't affect the bass. LOL

I'd say the lack of negative comments about the sound -- the reviewers seem to have liked the visuals and texture of it -- as a positive.

 

[agoldman]

Its funny how 95% of the reviewers didn't seem to even bother turning it on. That is pretty close to the first thing I do when I get into a car. I'm kinda spoiled with my B&W system, so I really have to temper my expectations here. I agree with the noise level of the car, but if the system doesn't have enough oomph to begin with, it will never really be capable when pressed. This B&O is a little li8ght on power. Also I've had high end systems that try the frame as sub woofer trick, and it isn't really great in comparison.

 

[supertramp]

ouch. has anyone had anything good to say about the B&O that has actually heard it? I didn't hear any comments about it on the many video reviews posted. I wish the new F150 "unleashed" system was available in the mach e. Even the regular Mustangs offer higher wattage B&O systems.

We listened to the B&O in Mach E specifically for few minutes during one of the tours. I think it sounded pretty good and my daughter liked it. But it's hard to say how good it is without listening more and without listening to different types of music. It's like listening to regular speaker system - until you do side by side comparison, you really cannot say what system is better.

Funny thing - the day before I checked Mach E, my friend drove by in his new Model Y and I checked Model Y sound system for a minute - I streamed "Teardrop" by the Massive Attack from my Amazon Music account at IPhone - a lot of bass in that song - and it sounded pretty bad - I thought, ahh... Tesla sucks . The next day I went to Mach E Road show and tested the same song with B&O - and it sounded equally bad . I was really disappointed. But then I decided to test another song and I streamed "Run Run" by Indila - and that was absolutely fantastic - great bass, clear sound, very involving. That's how I learned for another time that the source as important (if not more) as the sound system itself Anyway, if I get the sound I've from listening to "Run Run" song, I should be happy. (now I need to listen to that in Model Y also

 

[supertramp]

ouch. has anyone had anything good to say about the B&O that has actually heard it? I didn't hear any comments about it on the many video reviews posted. I wish the new F150 "unleashed" system was available in the mach e. Even the regular Mustangs offer higher wattage B&O systems.

Btw, here is the review that only mentions the sound system in Mach E - it doesn't go deeper and I have no idea who hagerty.com is and how good their sound testing...

https://www.hagerty.com/media/new-car-reviews/review-2021-ford-mustang-mach-e/

Somewhere in the middle they say:
...
The Premium stereo, which is merely okay in actual use, will also play you a “Propulsion Sound” that sounds like an approximation of various movie-starfighter noises. Without it, the Mach-E is eerily silent, adding just a low hum of actual mechanical activity to the wind and tires. With or without the X-Wing soundtrack, this is a pleasant place to be.
...

My personal opinion, for you, as a B&W user, it might be a little disappointing - as I think, in general B&W is better sounding than B&O - at least, based on my very limited testing of sound systems, though I was doing it quite a few years ago - when I was among people who were crazy about sound

 

[RyZt]

The driver's seat in all Mach Es should be the same. It's just the passenger seat is manual in the Select/Ca Route 1.

It's technically true that driver seat is the same in all trims. In practice, many people consider head rest part of the seat. Be aware that head rest is 4-way adjustable in Premium, but 2-way in other trims.

 

[balthisar]

My Civic produces really decent sound when playing CDs or when connected to IPhone. But the antenna is so terrible that most of the stations are giving noise half of the time (my Honda Pilot doesn't have that problem - looks like antenna is fine and so is the sound from the radio).

How old is the Civic? I assumed all cars were equipped with digital receivers these days. The MME certainly has a digital receiver (in the USA, that is. It's called HD Radio here; other countries will have something different).

Technically, though, antenna quality could be a factor, but it could also simply be the receiver design. Antennas are literally a piece of wire at the correct length for whatever you want receive.

 

[supertramp]

How old is the Civic? I assumed all cars were equipped with digital receivers these days. The MME certainly has a digital receiver (in the USA, that is. It's called HD Radio here; other countries will have something different).

Technically, though, antenna quality could be a factor, but it could also simply be the receiver design. Antennas are literally a piece of wire at the correct length for whatever you want receive.

2012 for Honda Civic and 2010 for Honda Pilot. I do not know why, but Pilot have never had any problems with a signal noise, but Civic tunes to some stations with a terrible signal quality and there is no way to correct that.

 

[Prodbb]

Thanks everybody who answered. These are all helpful comments. As it happens, I have a 2013 Civic. For a little car and a base audio system, it does okay. But I'm looking for huge step up in My next car, especially if it's an EV in the price range of the MME. Like one of the commentators, I've been considering the route 1. It would involve a trade off of some premium things for extended range. Thank you also to the commentator who confirmed that the driver's seat is essentially the same. That's good to know. Still considering my options.

 

[Prodbb]

It's technically true that driver seat is the same in all trims. In practice, many people consider head rest part of the seat. Be aware that head rest is 4-way adjustable in Premium, but 2-way in other trims.

Thanks, that is especially helpful. I sometimes have a hard time adjusting the headdress to be comfortable. Being able to move it forward or aft is a useful feature

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